If you are a space geek like me, chances are you were jumping in joy (sort of) last Sunday night, 14 March 2021 as the Philippines officially has its second nanosatellite launched from the International Space Station (ISS). And little did I know, an elementary school classmate of mine was one of the brains behind the Maya-2 cube satellite (CubeSat).
Engr. Marloun Pelayo Sejera, a Mapúa University Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE) alumnus, is one of the three brilliant Filipino minds behind the creation of the Maya-2, together with Izrael Zenar Casople Bautista and Mark Angelo Cabrera Purio. Sejera was in charge of building the communications subsystem for the nanosatellite as well as its Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS).
An APRS is a radio-based system that encodes real-time digital information transmission. The communications subsystem makes sure that the nanosatellite has a reliable communication transmittal with ground stations ensuring continuous satellite missions.
“I was filled with pride watching Cygnus-15 spacecraft carrying our satellites launched last February 21. It was a relief when Cygnus-15 successfully docked the ISS,” according to Sejera.
The Maya-2 nanosatellite is under the fourth Joint Global Multi-Nation Birds Satellite project (BIRDS-4 Project). Its main mission is to store and forward data from space, as the satellite is able to capture data transmitted from ground sensors and send to ground stations for data analysis.
Mapúa, Making It Possible
Sejera shared that his learning experience and academic life at Mapúa University equipped him with the necessary training and developmental skills in building Maya-2.
“Mapúa has been very supportive and involved from the beginning of my career in nanosatellite development. They opened the opportunity for me from teaching to being one of the Philippine delegates in Small Satellite Mission workshop in India, and now my involvement in the BIRDS-4 Project,” Sejera said.
In November 2017, Sejera was invited as a Philippine delegate to attend a short course on Small Satellite Mission held at Dehradun, India. This was funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
This workshop further piqued the interest of Sejera in satellite development and gave him a clearer point of view of what he wanted to pursue with regard to his graduate studies. He was then able to join the BIRDS-4 Project in 2018, with the University serving as his stepping stone.
In early 2018, Mapúa was informed about the capacity-building initiative of the Philippine Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite Program (PHL-Microsat), wherein three Filipinos would be chosen to be sent to Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) in Fukuoka, Japan.
Sejera felt that the opportunity came right on time, so he applied immediately for the program and underwent a careful selection process. He shared that he was fortunate enough and truly honored to be selected as one of the delegates to represent the country.
The program gave the participants the opportunity to study Space Engineering and build the Philippines’ second CubeSat through the BIRDS-4 project, which is now known as the Maya-2.
“The support that I got from Mapúa is very essential in pursuing my doctorate at Kyutech. Having been involved in the project, Mapúa will be able to participate in the dissemination of space, science and technology, and satellite development in the country,” he added.
The BIRDS-4 Project
It is the Philippines’ second time joining Kyutech’s BIRDS project, which is an interdisciplinary satellite project for non-space faring countries. The country first joined in the BIRDS-2 project resulting in Maya-1, developed and deployed in 2018.
For two (02) years, participants learned how to design, develop, and operate 1U CubeSats. The knowledge and experience that participants gained in the project could in turn be passed on when they return to their respective countries. The BIRDS-4 project kicked-off on November 2018.
The team is composed of 14 students from different countries: three (03) participants from the Philippines; two (02) from Paraguay; four (04) from Japan; one (01) from Nepal; one (01) from Turkey; one (01) from Sudan; one (01) from France; and one (01) from Egypt.
Sejera pointed out that under the program, he and other participants were able to deliver a number of satellites to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in October 2020.
“Despite the cultural differences and work habits, the team was able to work harmoniously toward a common goal. Think outside the box and expand your horizon. As the great Albert Einstein said, ‘We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them’,” he concluded.